Actress and Disney Legend Ming-Na Wen wants to know if you have eaten yet.
In celebration of her upcoming cookbook release this fall, the actress has launched a YouTube channel where she will be sharing cooking tutorials, stories behind her acting career and more.
“Have You Eaten Yet?” Isn’t Your Typical Cookbook
In the channel’s first video, Wen delves into what inspired her to write her cookbook, “Have You Eaten Yet?”
“I started posting cooking videos on my Instagram, and so many of you, my beautiful fans, wanted the recipes,” she said.
While her parents were chefs and owners of Pittsburgh’s Chinatown Inn, Wen initially didn’t feel qualified to write a cookbook. That changed when her literary agent suggested expanding it into something more, giving the book its eventual shape.
“I felt like a fraud, until she came up with an amazing idea, which was to share my recipes as a storytelling vehicle about my life as an Asian-American,” she recalled.
The book is now a love letter to food and family, celebrating the actress’ Chinese American heritage.
“It made me very thankful for the life I’ve had as an Asian-American coming from Hong Kong to America and living the American Dream,” Wen shared.
Within the pages, the Disney actress shares recipes straight from her family’s restaurant and those of her own creation. In the process of compiling the cookbook, Wen went through a thorough process testing each of the recipes.
“My parents don’t have recipes that they write down, so many of those recipes I had to recreate,” she said. “My mom would sometimes just give me a list of ingredients, but not the amount. So like a mad scientist, I had to test and test each recipe.”
Outside of the recipes, readers can expect never-before-seen photos and personal memories that are at the heart of the cookbook.
“This cookbook is so meaningful to me because it’s my connection to my fans,” Wen said in the video. “To be able to share these meals with you is just another precious way of saying thank you and that I love you.”
Ming-Na Wen in the Kitchen
In a post to Instagram, Wen announced the launch of her new YouTube channel, saying “‘Wen in the Kitchen’ launches today on YouTube. Please subscribe and join me in the kitchen.”
For more visual learners, Wen plans to post videos of recipes included in the book, breaking them down step-by-step. She also plans to share behind the scenes stories about her acting career — having portrayed roles in fan-favorite shows “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D” and “The Mandalorian” — all from her kitchen.
So far, she has posted four videos, two of which include her recipes for grilled cheese and wontons. The actress also shares stories behind her audition for “Mulan” and how she designed her dream kitchen.
In Wen’s next video, she will walk viewers through how to shop at an Asian Supermarket.
Wen’s cookbook “Have You Eaten Yet?” hits shelves on October 6. The book, published by Simon & Schuster, is available for preorder now.
